Electric railway-signal



' (No MOdGL) B. H. GEDGE. V ELECTRIC RAILWAY SIGNAL.

No. 382,299. 7 8 PatentedMay 8,-1888.

iJNirn r'rns ATENT Prion.

BURTON H. GEDGE, OF COVINGTON, KENTUCKY.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY-SIGNAL,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 382.299, dated May 8,1888.

Application filed July 25, 1887.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BURTON H. Gnnen, of Govington, Kenton county,Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ElectricRailway-Signals, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention is an improvement on my former device, describedin Letters Patent No. 344,099, dated June 22, 1886; and it consists inan improved arrangement of the signal-bell, and also in an improvedswitch.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure1 is a transverse section 'of the track and conductors and adiagrammatic representation of a locomotive-cab and the electricalapparatus of my device. Fig. 2 is a face view of the switch and itsconnections. Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating" the operation of thedevice.

The conductors A A extend parallel to the rails throughout the portionof track intended to be protected by the signal. Their particularconstruction, beyond careful insulation, is not important, but ispreferablythat described in my patent No. 364,009, dated May 31, 1887.From the bottom of the cab two contact brushes, B B, projectdownwardlyin such position as to sweep over the conductors A A and makeelectrical connection therewith.

The wires 0 0 connect the brushes B B with the switch D. The switch D isprovided with the inner ring, D, consisting of two halves, d d,insulated from each other, and also with an outer ring, D, consisting oftwo halves; 01 d insulated from each other. The two rings are soarranged with reference to each other that lines drawn through theirrespective points of insulation will cross each other substantially atright angles. The switch-lever E is fulcrumed concentrically with therings. The lever B is provided with two sets of arms, e e and 6 e Thetwo arms of each set are continuous with each other, but are insulatedfrom the rest of the lever. The arms 6 e bear against the outer ring, Dand the arms 0 e bear against the inner ring, D.

In the drawings the wire 0 from the brush B is connected with the part(I of the inner ring, D, and wire 0 from the brush B is connected withthe part d of the inner ring. The wires F and F are connected,respectively, to the parts d and d of the outer ring, D These Serial No.245,233. (No model.)

wires F F form a continuous line in which is placed the battery G andthe electromagnet H. The battery I and bell J are included in a separatecircuit, the wires of which connect with the armature-lever and frame ofthe electro-magnct, this circuit being closed by the passing of acurrent through the electromagnet. I also preferably provide thisdevice, as my former one, with a commutator, S, on the axle of thelocomotive, wires from the brushes of which connect with the Wires 0 O.This commutatordoes not form any part of the present invention, and isfully described in Letters Patent No. 344,099, previously referred to.

The mode of operation of the device is as follows: VVheu two engines areon a portion of the track provided with the conductors A A andapproaching each other, the switches D will occupy the relativepositions indicated by the diagram, Fig. 3. In this position acurrentwill pass through the signal apparatus of both engines and theconductors A A, causing a continuous ringing of the bell in each engine,which, under the present arrangements of parts, is the signal givenwhenthe engines are approaching each other. The current may be traced asfollows: Commencing at the batteryG of left'hand locomotive, Fig. 3, itpasses through the wire F, sectiond of ring D arms a 6", section 03 ofring D, wire 0, brush B, conductor A to the other engine, then throughits brush B, wire 0, section d of ring D, arms e c", section d 'of ringD wire F, electro-magnot H, battery G, wire F, section d of ring D arms0, 6, section (1 of ring D, wire 0, brush B, conductor A, thence to thefirst engine to brush B, wire 0, section cl of ring D, arms 6, section dof ring D wire F, electromagnet H, to battery G, the starting-point.This current, passing through both electromaguets, closes the shortcircuit of battery I in each engine and causes a continuous ringing ofthe bells J. It is evident that in order that the apparatus mayworlr,the currents from both batteries'G must be in the same direction.In the case of two locomotives headed toward and approaching each other,the signal would be given by continuous ringing of the bell, whentheswitch of each locomotive is in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2of the drawings. If, however, these engines were headed in the samedirection and approaching each otherthat is, one going forward and theother backing, the switches remaining unchanged 7 the currents from thetwo batteries G would counteract each other, except that the commutatorcloses the circuit through the trackrails at intervals, giving anintermittent ringing which, were the switches properly placed, wouldindicate the engines to be moving in the same direction. The switch Dhere comes intoplay to change the direction of the current from theengine which is backing, so that the proper signal may be given.

By reference to Fig. 2 it will be seen that by moving the lever E aboutninety degrees, as shown at right hand in Fig. 3, the arms 6 e willconnect the'section d with the section d instead of section d, and thearms 6 6 will connect the section d with the section (1 instead of d.With the connections thus changed the current will pass out through thewire 0 and return by wire 0, instead of as shown in Fig. 1 of thedrawings. make the currents from both batteries Gin the samedirectionwhen the engines are headed in the same direction, but moving towardeach other, and give the continuous signal.

To insure having the switch D in proper position, I prefer to have itoperated automatically by the reversing-lever of the engine. Aconvenient means for this purpose is that illustrated in the drawings,where the lever E is shown connected by a loose chain, L, to thereversing-lever K.

In case ofengines moving in the same direction, the signal is givenintermittently through This change would the commutator, as fullyexplained in patent No. 344,099,. previously referred to.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of the conductors A A, brushes B B, wires 0 0,connecting the brushes to the two segments of the ring D, the ring D,made in two insulated sections, lever E, provided with arms a ,e and e 6wires F F, battery G, electromagnet H, and bell J in acircuit operatedbyflthe electro-magnet H, substantially asand for the purposesspecified.

2. The combination of conductors A A,

brushes B B, wires 0 G, a reversing-switch, Wires F F, battery G,electro-magnet H, and bell J and battery I in a circuit operated by theelectro'magnet H, substantially as and for the purposes set forth. 3.The combination of conductors A A, brushes B B, wires 0 O, areversing-switch, wires F F, battery G, electro-magnet H, and bell J andbattery I in a circuit operated by the electro-magnet H, and commutatorS and its connections, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

4. The combination of the rings D D each divided into two sectionsinsulated from each other, and lever E, provided with arms 0 e e a",substantially as and for the purposes specified.

BURTON H. GEDGE.

Attest:

' \V. 1?. GULIcK,

E. M. I-IARMON.

